Ever wonder why your mood and energy levels can sometimes feel all over the place leading up to and during your period? It’s because your hormone levels are constantly changing during the four phases of your menstrual cycle. And where you’re at in your cycle can impact everything from sleep and appetite to cramps, libido and more. If you want to feel your best throughout the month, cycle syncing can help balance your hormones and manage symptoms. Here, learn more about the natural technique to manage hormone fluctuations and how to get started. 

What is cycle syncing and how can it help you?

“Cycle syncing involves shifting your diet, exercise, routines and any other lifestyle habits, based on your menstrual cycle and the hormonal changes that occur,” says Navya Mysore, MD, medical director of women’s health at healthcare startup Nurx. 

Cycle syncing is beneficial for anyone who menstruates, especially if hormonal changes significantly affect your physical and mental health. 

How your hormones change during your menstrual cycle

The menstrual cycle is split into four phases and it might explain why you feel affected at different parts of the month. The four phases include:

• Menstrual: Days 1-5
• Follicular: Days 6-14
• Ovulatory: Days 15-17 if you’re on a 28-day cycle (may skew earlier or later if your cycle is longer or shorter)
• Luteal: Days 16-28 and lasts until your next period

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Jillian LoPiano, MD, MPH, FACOG, Chief Health Officer at Wisp explains how hormone levels fluctuate during the four phases of the menstrual cycle, making cycle syncing helpful for balance. “Estrogen levels increase during the follicular phase and decrease after ovulation. Estrogen levels rise again during the luteal phase and decrease during menstruation,” she says. 

Dr. Mysore adds that progesterone levels drop right before you get your period, which is typically when you start to feel symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS).

How to track your menstrual cycle for effective cycle syncing

To effectively practice cycle syncing, you need to first start tracking your menstrual cycle. Angela Wilson, MD, a gynecologist at Montefiore Einstein Advanced Care, suggests using a calendar or app on your phone to mark when your cycle starts and ends. Taking your temperature every morning can also aid in accuracy—but it can be one extra thing you don’t need on your plate, too, so either don’t sweat it (it may not be worth it) or opt for a wearable like an Oura Ring 4 or Apple Watch. (Learn more about monitoring your basal body temperature here.)

While you’re tracking your cycle, it’s important to document any symptoms of hormone changes that you may notice.  As for what to jot down, it’s all about listening to your body and determining how you feel.

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“Some things to monitor include fatigue, which may occur at the beginning of the cycle, a burst of energy mid-cycle, bloating or pelvic cramping, breast tenderness and mood changes including irritability and depression,” says Dr. Wilson. It’ll help to take note of when these changes occur in each phase of your cycle.

Can you practice cycle syncing if you’re in perimenopause?

Cycle syncing can still be helpful during perimenopause since some of the symptoms, such as fatigue or mood changes, are still prevalent during this time. However, Dr. Wilson says, “a consistent pattern of cycle syncing may be difficult given that menstruation may be very irregular during perimenopause.” While it may be a little more challenging, you can still tailor your lifestyle habits based on how you experience perimenopause.

How to practice cycle syncing

Once you’ve begun tracking your menstrual cycle and the symptoms you notice during each phase, you can use that information to start adjusting your daily habits to be more in sync with your cycle. Small changes like tweaking your diet and exercise routine help reduce unwanted symptoms (like PMS) and nourish your body when it needs a little extra TLC. 

Here, two ways to practice cycle syncing:

Cycle syncing your diet

What you eat can play a big role in how you feel during each phase of your menstrual cycle. Experts recommend avoiding a high caffeine or alcohol intake during these phases as they can exacerbate symptoms. Here’s how to keep your energy up and stress levels down with cycle syncing.

• Foods to eat during the menstrual phase: It’s important to eat iron-rich foods during the menstrual phase, as you need to replenish iron levels after blood loss. “Leafy green vegetables like kale can help with this, and staying well hydrated during this time is also important,” says Dr. Wilson.

• Foods to eat during the follicular phase: The follicular phase brings a gradual return of energy, and you’ll need to properly fuel your body. Dr. Wilson says healthy fats such as avocado are beneficial when the body is prepping for ovulation. Dark chocolate, berries and citrus fruits are also helpful as they help lower stress levels that may have increased. 

• Foods to eat during the ovulatory phase: Dr. Mysore suggests eating anti-inflammatory foods with lots of vitamin B and D when your estrogen peaks. Nuts, seeds, legumes and vegetables are all helpful options.

• Foods to eat during the luteal phase: While you may crave carbs and sugar during the luteal phase, Dr. Wilson says you should limit your intake given that a diet high in sugar will likely worsen fatigue. Instead, she suggests lean meats and vegetables to boost energy. 

Cycle syncing your workouts

Your energy and mood levels depend on which phase of the cycle you’re experiencing. “Listening to your body, symptoms and energy levels should dictate your exercise routines,” says Dr. LoPiano. “If you are feeling energetic, doing more vigorous or high-intensity workouts may work; if you are feeling more fatigued walking may be a better choice.”

• Exercises for the menstrual phase: Most people find the menstrual phase tiring. You’re bleeding, may be cramping and don’t want to push yourself with heavy exercise. Dr. Mysore recommends low-impact movements, like yoga or walking, which can be helpful for pain and minimal energy.

• Exercises for the follicular phase: After getting your period, you may find that you’re regaining some energy. A high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workout or resistance/strength training are ideal. 

• Exercises for the ovulatory phase: “Ovulation is when people tend to feel most invigorated,” says Dr. Mysore. “For example, if you’re training for a race and need to include interval training runs, this may be the time to incorporate them into your schedule.”

• Exercises for the luteal phase: The luteal phase is when many women notice their ovulatory “energy high” start to come down. “At this point, you’re getting closer to your period and may start to experience PMS symptoms,” says Dr. Mysore. This is a good time to prioritize self-care and make yourself comfortable. Light walking or yoga can also work for this phase, but take your time and see how your body reacts before overexerting yourself. 

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Can you cycle sync your sex life?

“Libido is a very individual and multifactorial phenomenon incorporating physical, hormonal, social, emotional/mental health and relationship factors,” says Dr. LoPiano. “As such, it is not predictable or straightforward to tie to a particular cycle phase.” 

That doesn’t mean your sex drive won’t still vary based on which phase of your cycle you’re currently experiencing. Dr. Mysore notes that your libido may be higher during ovulation and lower during the luteal phase when your energy dips. That said, the symptoms and feelings differ from person to person.